The Herald - The Herald Magazine
Hitlist 8 of the most chic Scottish design ideas to turn your home into a super-stylish pad
WITH not much else to do at the moment other than sit and stare at the four walls, you can be forgiven for getting a bit fed up with the walls that you are looking at. It’s no surprise, then, that sales of homeware products have rocketed over the last year or so, as many of us have put the time spent in lockdown to good use by sprucing up our homes. If you are looking for inspiration on how to smarten up your décor, why not support a local business and check out some of our favourite Scottish interiors’ firms? Here’s some of their standout products.
TUNNOCK’S TEACAKE CUSHION FROM GILLIAN KYLE
£45 for the round cushion
Sometimes, even the smallest changes can make a massive difference. Gillian Kyle’s charming, pop art-esque homeware will brighten up any room, with her range of Tunnock’s cushions a particularly welcome addition to your sofa. Based in Kilbarachan, near Paisley, Gillian is currently juggling her business alongside home-schooling two young children, so orders may take a little bit longer. But her vibrant products will be well worth the wait – with an official merchandise range held with both Tunnock’s and Irn-Bru. Our favourite is the Tunnock’s Teacake round cushion, printing Gillian’s interpretation of the iconic teacake onto a luxury duck feather cushion (£45). But if you are more of a Caramel Wafer fan then don’t worry, there’s a cushion version of that too… www.gilliankyle.com
PAINT FROM ISLE OF SKYE PAINT COMPANY
Prices vary depending on paint chosen.
Nothing quite transforms a room like a fresh lick of paint. But rather than just heading for the nearest DIY store and picking up a tin of cheap paint, why not splash out on some luxury, Scottishproduced paint? The Isle of Skye Paint Company makes environmentally responsible, high-quality, water-based paints that are made using raw sustainable materials where possible in their production – 45 shades are currently available, ranging from Bla Bheinn to Sgurr Alasdair, with the option to order a £1 colour card to help you decide which one suits your home.
There’s matt, satin and exterior versions, as well as tester pots, so you should be able to cover the whole house if you wish to.
www.isleofskyepaintcompany.co.uk
CURTAINS FROM BLUEBELLGRAY
£140 for a pair of Palette Curtains
From her workshop in Glasgow’s Hyndland Road, artist Fi Douglas has been steadily building an interiors empire. She first established Bluebellgray back in 2009, by making six cushions from her kitchen table, but the brand now encompasses curtains, bedding, wallpaper, rugs and lighting, with stockists that include Next and John Lewis. Her signature style is consistent: watercolour patterns that are painted by Fi and then digitally printed onto the fabric or furniture. Her whimsical creations will brighten up any room, but it is the Bluebellgray curtains which will make arguably the biggest instant impact to your home. We particularly like the abstract Palette curtains, which come in a range of different sizes and start from £140. www.bluebellgray.com
SOFA FROM BLACKHOUSE
Prices vary depending on sofa selected
Choosing a sofa can be an agonising process. With such a large financial commitment, you want to be sure that you are picking the very best sofa, something that will last for years and really set off your room in style. Purchasing from Kinross-based designers Blackhouse means you are guaranteed top-quality furniture that is built to last. Blackhouse is Scotland’s only handcrafted Harris Tweed furniture company, with the iconic Hebridean fabric serving as the cornerstone of each of their sofas and chairs. Harris Tweed – famed for being robust and enduring – is stipulated by law as a tweed which must be hand woven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides using wool dyed and spun there. Every 50 metres of genuine Harris Tweed is checked by an inspector from the Harris Tweed Authority to ensure its quality, with the Blackhouse sofas benefitting from a layer of Teflon coating that makes them truly durable. But they aren’t just practical, with contemporary designs and bright colours ensuring that the Blackhouse sofas and armchairs make a real statement in the room. Simply choose the style, size and pattern you want and your furniture will be hand-made and delivered to your home.
www.blackhouse.co.uk
STAG LAMPSHADE FROM MOGWAII DESIGN
£75 for the lampshade
The isle of Lismore, in the Inner Hebrides, isn’t exactly bustling. With a population of 170 people, and a church, primary school, museum and shop providing the mainstay of the entertainment, it would be easy to think that there isn’t much happening. But Lismore is, in fact, home to one of the brightest lights in the Scottish design scene: textile artist Sarah Campbell. Sarah has become widely known for her
Mogwaii Design range, produced from her croft on the island, where she makes a range of cushions, blinds, brooches and lampshades. A particular standout is the Barber Shop Stag Lampshade (£75), a hand-crafted shade which is based on the five deer that are currently living on the island. The shades are made using a combination of photographic transfer, scribbled lines and stitched details, with each animal image beginning life as a humble pencil drawing before having their stripy ‘barber shop’ antlers added on. These charming lampshades will fit both freestanding lamps and hanging ceiling pendants. https://www.mogwaiidesign.com
DECORATIVE CACTUS FROM GROW URBAN EDINBURGH
A 95cm Euphorbia acrurensis costs £85
Initially dismissed as a bit of a millennial fad, adding cacti to your home can actually reap all sorts of benefits. As well as proving to be a striking addition to your décor, a cactus can improve the air quality in a room, absorbing carbon dioxide and converting it into plant carbohydrates. Caring for plants has also proven to be therapeutic – though cacti are famously low maintenance – while the presence of greenery in a room is thought to help improve productivity by calming our brains. And if it’s a cactus you want, you can’t do much better than the 1-metre tall Euphorbia acrurensis on sale from Grow Urban Edinburgh. Delivery is free on all orders over £35, which is probably for the best if you want to avoid scratches… www.growurban.uk
DINING TABLE FROM THE EDINBURGH TABLE COMPANY
Dining tables start from £395
Designed in Edinburgh and made in Selkirk, these dining tables are about as Scottish as you can get. Various styles and sizes are on offer – with the Edinburgh Table Company also making coffee tables and side tables – but the Mossilee Dining Table is our pick of the bunch. Its thick top is made from reclaimed board, which gives it a lovely character thanks to the splits and blemishes in the wood, while the base is hand-painted in several coats of Farrow & Ball. You can choose from an array of paint colours, as well as selecting the table length, finishing wax and tabletop thickness: ensuring that your table is truly personalised to you. The Edinburgh Table Company only build a few tables each week and spend many hours on each one to guarantee true attention to detail. They even complete the deliveries themselves, in a two-person team, to make sure their customers have the best possible experience from start to finish.
SWIRL MIRROR FROM THE ENID HUTT GALLERY
£210 for the large Leaf Swirl Mirror
A real Kirkcaldy institution, the Enid Hutt Gallery has been selling high-end interiors for more than three decades. Enid established the business with her two sons, Kevin and Clarke, and the gallery is renowned for its consistently excellent customer service. Unfortunately, lockdown rules mean that you can’t experience their hospitality in person but you can shop online for all of their paintings, posters and mirrors. A noteworthy piece is the contemporary swirl mirror available from Enid’s sister site The Mirror Shop, with its large bevelled frame providing the perfect focal point for a bare wall. And, of course, anyone who has ever watched Changing Rooms knows the trick of hanging a large mirror to instantly make your room look bigger…